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Obama, Empathy, and the Cuban Thaw The Yale Undergraduate Research Journal Volume 2 Issue 1 Spring 2021 Article 20 2021 “Our Neighbors In The Americas”: Obama, Empathy, and the Cuban Thaw Sarah McKinnis Yale University Follow this and additional works at: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/yurj Part of the International and Area Studies Commons, and the Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons Recommended Citation McKinnis, Sarah (2021) "“Our Neighbors In The Americas”: Obama, Empathy, and the Cuban Thaw," The Yale Undergraduate Research Journal: Vol. 2 : Iss. 1 , Article 20. Available at: https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/yurj/vol2/iss1/20 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Yale Undergraduate Research Journal by an authorized editor of EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale. For more information, please contact [email protected]. McKinnis: Obama, Empathy, and the Cuban Thaw McKinnis | International Relations “Our Neighbors In The Americas”: Obama, Empathy, and the Cuban Thaw By Sarah E. McKinnis1 1Yale University ABSTRACT In the study of International Relations, there is growing research and consideration of the significance of empathy in political communications and nation-to-nation relationships. This article examines cognitive empathy, the abil- ity to understand the perspectives and feelings of another, in the case of the Cuban Thaw, the reestablishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and The United States. It traces President Obama’s use of empathy in publicly communicating intentions towards Cubans and Americans, a rhetoric that marks a contrast from the previous U.S. administrations’ attitudes toward Cuba. This article then analyzes the efficacy of that rhetoric, finding that though there are indications of positive effects, it is difficult to understand the long-term impact of his actions at this time. This case provides context as to the positive transformative power of empathy in IR, and the efficacy of empa- thetic rhetoric in shifting public attitudes and encouraging cooperation between previously antagonistic nations. Empathy as a tool faces a number of practical limitations, all of which deserve greater research and attention. INTRODUCTION his empathetic approach was successful in facilitating diplomatic change and in shifting public opinion in both the U.S. and Cuba. In March of 2016, Barack Obama traveled to Cuba with a delega- However, it was unable to generate significant democratic reforms tion of family, staff, and Democrat and Republican congressional in Cuba. This analysis adds to accruing research on empathy in representatives, marking the first time in eighty-eight years that a International Relations and helps increase understanding of the im- sitting United States president visited the country. This was part portance of empathy as a negotiating tool and as something to be of a much larger effort to normalize diplomatic relations between employed more often, due to its efficacy in encouraging coopera- the United States and Cuba, which had been officially severed in tion between previously antagonistic nations. 1961. Since then, U.S. policy towards Cuba had been marked by isolation and hostility, including repeated attempts to overthrow Cuba’s Communist government. Obama’s approach came as a dras- EMPATHY IN IR tic change in U.S. rhetoric and policy, and it included a nuanced understanding of the position of Cuba, its people, and its leaders. In line with IR scholarship on emotions, empathy will be theorized This paper examines the role of this nuanced understanding, better here as the “cognitive projection of oneself into the shoes of an- understood as empathy, in facilitating the administration’s new ap- other, whilst maintaining a clear differentiation between self and proach by focusing on one central question—where and how did other,” (Head, 2012, p. 39) or, “to put oneself into the other’s place” Obama employ empathy in the Cuban Thaw and what was the im- (Wheeeler, 2008, p. 495). This definition of empathy has often been pact of this shift in rhetoric? referred to as “cognitive empathy,” as opposed to “affective empa- thy,” which involves feeling the same emotions as the person with Empathy and other emotions have traditionally been dismissed in whom you are empathizing (Head, 2012, p. 39).2 IR as irrational and something to be mitigated, but they have long been part of practicing politics and diplomacy (Head, 2012, p. 37). Cognitive empathy has been shown to be an important part of pres- More recent research reveals the significance of empathy in these idential leadership, particularly in allowing individuals to make domains and evidence that reason and emotion are significantly in- more informed decisions and “formulate effective rhetorical argu- tertwined (Yorke, 2017, p. 14). Obama, in particular, made empathy ments” (Shogan, 2009, p. 874). This speaks to the importance of a large part of his politics, from the time he was a senator (Shogan, empathy in strategic communications, which is further illuminated 2009, p. 872). It also was a fundamental part of his personal ethics by Yorke, who explains that communication employing empathy and character.1 involves perceptive listening and understanding of the point of view of one’s counterpart (Head, 2012, p. 43). In the case of foreign This paper will analyze Obama’s speeches and policy documents policy, empathy can be used strategically to “develop cooperation between 2014-2016, during which U.S.-Cuba relations were nor- with other countries and cultures through both public statements malized, a period of time known as the Cuban Thaw, arguing that and private meetings” (Yorke, 2017, p. 150). 1 See (Obama, 2006) for background. 2 See also (Yorke, 2017, p. 142) & (Head, 2016, p. 103). Published by EliScholar – A Digital Platform for Scholarly Publishing at Yale, 2021 1 Spring 2021 YURJ | Vol 2.1 1 McKinnis | International RelationsThe Yale Undergraduate Research Journal, Vol. 2 [2021], Iss. 1, Art. 20 Another strategic use of empathy is in security dilemma sensibility, determine the intensity or relative weight of an emotion in relation defined as: to other emotions, nor does it indicate the involvement of counter- vailing emotions” (Clément & Sangar, 2017, p. 24). Even emotion [T]he ability to understand the role that fear might play in discourse analysis—in which emotions are more thoroughly inte- their attitudes and behaviour, including, crucially, the role grated into the method used—runs the risk of “homogenizing the that one’s own actions may play in provoking that fear emotions of groups” (Clément & Sangar, 2017, p. 24). In acknowl- (Booth & Wheeler, 2007, as cited in Wheeler, 2008, p. 496) edging these biases and challenges, this research can be analyzed for what it adds to the scholarship on empathy in IR while under- By understanding how an adversary views their state, a leader can standing the limits on its conclusions. better judge their motives and therefore diminish the fear inherent in the security dilemma, though not remove it entirely (Wheeler, 2008, pp. 495-496). “U.S. policy towards Cuba had been Although empathy can successfully be used strategically, it will marked by isolation and hostility, only be effective if it is perceived as genuine (Shogan, 2009, pp. 862-874). Even within this definition, scholars and practitioners including repeated attempts to overthrow have identified limits and even dangers to empathy.3 In the follow- ing analysis, the stated definition of empathy will be used to ana- Cuba’s Communist government. Obama’s lyze where President Obama exhibited empathy, how different indi- viduals and groups responded, and if it was successful in achieving approach came as a drastic change in the goals of the Obama administration. U.S. rhetoric and policy.” METHODOLOGY TRANSFORMING RELATIONS THROUGH EMPATHY In order to determine where President Obama used empathy, this paper will focus on five central speeches by Obama in the period be- Obama’s belief in the importance of understanding others’ perspec- tween December 2014, when the policy changes were announced, tives made possible the negotiations that led to the normalization of and March 2016, when Obama visited Cuba. This will include dis- U.S.-Cuba relations. An analysis of empathy in shifting the relation- course analysis of the transcripts, along with analysis of the videos, ship has to acknowledge the secret negotiations that happened prior which will allow for the rhetoric to be placed in the context of the to the December 17, 2014, announcement of policy changes. One event and audience, his body language, and tone. Yorke delineates factor was Obama’s belief—contrary to nearly the entire foreign pol- the criteria used by scholars of empathy in discourse analysis, in- icy establishment—that, as he said, “It. Is. Not. A. Reward. To. Talk. cluding “evidence of perspective taking, and seeking to understand To. Folks.” (Rhodes, 2018, p. 15). This ran contrary to the rhetoric different sections of society and their political, historical, structural, used by the previous administration, in which President Bush consis- and social-economic context;” “awareness of one’s own words and tently laid out preconditions for negotiating a change in the relation- actions and how this might be perceived;” and “evidence of dis- ship and maintained a policy of isolation and forced regime change cussions of the importance of understanding another point of view (Bush, 2002). The contrast shows that empathy as employed by and acknowledgement of recognition” (Yorke, 2017, p. 146). Also Obama was a distinct shift in the way the U.S. thought about Cuba. noted and included in these criteria will be words, phrases, com- parisons, and analogies with connotations of empathy, particularly Even before public announcement of the changes, Obama and his respect and trust towards a Cuban audience, and calls to stand in the administration recognized the importance of acknowledging the his- shoes of the Cuban people that are directed toward a U.S.
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